Research, Policy & Advocacy

We believe that young people should have a chance to thrive and reach their potential, regardless of their situation in life. 

YSAS holds a strong commitment to ensuring our research, policy and advocacy activities align with our values of honesty, empowerment, accountability and respect and our organizational vision to “create a community where all young people are valued, included and have every opportunity to thrive”. We believe such values can assist and guide research to shape learnings, resources and advocate for systemic change and improved service responses for young people, their families, communities and wider society.

With a dedicated YSAS Research and Evaluation Team that works closely with all branches of the organization – we undertake a range of research projects, policy submissions, service evaluations and other advocacy initiatives and activities.

Our YSAS Research Team collaborates with universities and other research partners to advance the fields of youth Alcohol and Drugs (AOD), crime and violence prevention and mental health. From practice, service evaluation and policy – we are committed to continuous improvement across the whole sector so that all young people stand the best chance of success.